Methods and devices for adaptive ringtone generation

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and devices for adapting a ringtone in accordance with ambient noise. In one embodiment a method includes processing an ambient noise signal to determine an ambient noise volume. When there is an incoming communication and it is determined that the ambient noise has a low ambient noise volume, a method can include generating a ringtone having a ringtone volume that is initially a low volume and increasing the ringtone volume over a predetermined period of time. A method can include applying a filter to the ringtone signal to increase a signal-to-noise ratio, the filter configured to increase an amplitude of a frequency that is not one of the predominant frequencies of the ambient noise and that the transducer is configured to output according to the transducer frequency response. In another embodiment, a second transducer may generate a ringtone output in addition to the first transducer.

1 . A method of a mobile communication device having a transducer, the method for adapting a ringtone in accordance with ambient noise, the method comprising:
 detecting ambient noise to generate an ambient noise signal;   processing the ambient noise signal to determine an ambient noise volume;   determining whether the ambient noise has a low ambient noise volume;   receiving an incoming communication signal;   generating by the transducer in response to the incoming communication signal a ringtone output having a ringtone volume that is initially a low volume, when it is determined that the ambient noise has a low ambient noise volume;   increasing the ringtone volume over a predetermined period of time when it is determined that the ambient noise has a low ambient noise volume; and   generating by the transducer in response to the incoming communication signal a ringtone output having a ringtone volume that is an elevated volume when it is determined that the ambient noise has a volume greater than a threshold value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein increasing the ringtone volume comprises:
 increasing the ringtone volume to a predetermined volume over a predetermined time period when it is determined that the ambient noise has a low ambient noise volume.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile communication device includes a microphone, and wherein detecting ambient noise comprises:
 detecting the ambient noise with the microphone.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transducer is configured to generate output at particular frequencies according to a transducer frequency response characterized by a low efficiency band and a high efficiency band, and wherein generating by the transducer a ringtone output having a ringtone volume that is an elevated volume comprises:
 generating a ringtone signal;   applying a filter to the ringtone signal, the filter configured to increase an amplitude of at least one frequency in the high efficiency band of the transducer;   applying a filter to the ringtone signal, the filter configured to reduce an amplitude of at least one frequency in the low efficiency band of the transducer; and   activating the transducer to generate ringtone output based on the ringtone signal.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the ambient noise signal comprises a noise frequency spectrum, and wherein generating by the transducer a ringtone output having a ringtone volume that is an elevated volume further comprises:
 processing the ambient noise signal to determine the noise frequency spectrum;   processing the noise frequency spectrum to determine predominant frequencies of the ambient noise that the transducer is configured to output according to the transducer frequency response;   applying a filter to the ringtone signal to decrease the signal-to-noise ratio, the filter configured to increase an amplitude of a frequency that is not one of the predominant frequencies of the ambient noise and that the transducer is configured to output according to the transducer frequency response; and   applying a filter to the ringtone signal to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, the filter configured to reduce an amplitude of at least one of the predominant frequencies of the ambient noise that the transducer is configured to output according to the transducer frequency response.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ambient noise signal comprises a noise frequency spectrum, the method further comprising:
 processing the ambient noise signal to determine the noise frequency spectrum;   wherein generating by the transducer a ringtone output having a ringtone volume that is an elevated volume comprises:
 generating by the transducer a ringtone output responsive to the noise frequency spectrum. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the mobile communication device includes a second transducer, the method further comprising:
 activating the second transducer to generate ringtone output responsive to the ambient noise volume and the noise frequency spectrum.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the transducer is configured to generate output at particular frequencies according to a transducer frequency response, and wherein generating by the transducer a ringtone output having a ringtone volume that is an elevated volume comprises:
 generating a ringtone signal;   applying a filter to the ringtone signal to increase a perceived loudness of the ringtone over a perceived loudness of the ambient noise based on the noise frequency spectrum; and   activating the transducer to generate ringtone output based in the ringtone signal.   
     
     
         9 . A method of a mobile communication device having a first transducer and a second transducer, the method for adapting a ringtone in accordance with ambient noise, the method comprising:
 detecting ambient noise to generate an ambient noise signal;   processing the ambient noise signal to determine an ambient noise volume;   determining whether the ambient noise has a volume greater than a first threshold value;   receiving an incoming communication signal;   generating a ringtone signal in response to the incoming communication signal when it is determined that the ambient noise has a volume greater than the first threshold value;   activating the first transducer in response to the ringtone signal to generate a ringtone when the ambient noise has a volume less than a second threshold value and; and   activating the second transducer to generate ringtone output based on the ringtone signal when the ambient noise has a volume greater than the second threshold value.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 activating the second transducer in addition to activation of the first transducer.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second transducer has a frequency response different from a frequency response of the first transducer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second transducer has a narrow frequency response. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the ambient noise signal comprises a noise frequency spectrum, the method further comprising:
 processing the ambient noise signal to determine the noise frequency spectrum.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 activating the first transducer to generate ringtone output responsive to the ambient noise volume and the noise frequency spectrum.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 activating the second transducer to generate ringtone output responsive to the ambient noise volume and the noise frequency spectrum.